IT HURTS A LITTLE

My daughters aren't very good with pain. (Who is?)
Here's what I mean. Both Avery and Sadie FEAR pain. I'm not talking about, "Daddy, I'm afraid of jumping on the trampoline because if I break my arm it will hurt." I'm not even talking about, "Daddy, I'm afraid of picking up that toy from the ground because a bee might sting me and it might hurt." (Although they would freak out about both of those scenarios.)

I'm talking about,

"Daddy, don't touch that hangnail!"

"Daddy, don't put water ... on that bruise!"

"Daddy, I have a scratch on my arm."
"Where? I don't see anything."
"Right there!" (Pointing to absolutely nothing.)
"Can I have a band aid?!"

The other night Avery had a blister on her foot from not wearing socks with her shoes (even though her Momma told her she needed socks!).

It looked like it hurt.

After a few days of band aids but not much treatment, the "ouchy" looked dirty and a bit red. As I was putting her to bed I told her we needed to clean it out so that it didn't get infected.

She didn't like the idea.

Just some warm, soapy water. No big deal. I won't put hydrogen peroxide on it ... yet.

Then the freaking out started. Every time I tried to touch her blister with the wash cloth she pushed my hand away. When I finally did put some water on it I saw a sickly grimace and then the squeals and tears started.

This was nothing compared to when I tried to put the soap on ...

Then I calmly told Avery, "I know it hurts. Sometimes you have to have a little hurt to avoid a lot of hurt later."

I don't often feel like I say too many profound things, and when I do I'm pretty quick to point out that it must have come from God, because I'm not that smart. This was one of those times.

How many times have I feared and avoided the "little pain" of correction or healing just to endure the "big pain" of failure?

How often do I push God's corrective hand away as He is trying to offer help instead of holding His hand through the "little hurt?"

As I put Avery to bed that night I told her how much I hated the "little hurt" of cleaning her wound, but that I was willing to cause some discomfort because I loved her too much to see her go through a deeper pain of infection. As a Daddy, I don't ever want to see my daughters in pain, though I know they will be someday. But as a loving Daddy, I would rather them learn and grow from the "little hurts" instead of having to experience the "big hurts."